Theranostics

What is Theranostics?

Theranostics is a new concept which seeks to develop treatments with the ability to directly target cancer while ignoring the healthy cells in your body.

Theranostics is a new form of cancer treatment that specifically targets cancer cells internally. Theranostics uses targeted biological tracers to deliver therapeutic does of radiation directly to cancer cells. Theranostics is based on long-established techniques used in Medical Imaging to deliver diagnostic doses of radiation to specific organs. In the case of Theranostics, therapeutic doses of radiation are similarly targeted at specific cancer cells.

The concept of Theranostics is not a new one, with some forms of targeted cancer treatment having existed for over 75 years. In recent years however the potential of new biologically targeted therapies has led to a resurgence in research for new tracers. As a result, Theranostics treatments have been rapidly developed which the ability to directly target prostate and neuroendocrine tumours, with many more in active development.

Theranostics allows our Radiologists to treat cancer by specifically targeting the cancer cells and minimising absorption by normal organs. This allows effective treatment of certain types of cancer with minimal side effects.

Types of Theranostics treatments

Theranostics is a rapidly advancing field of medicine. Many new therapies are currently under development around the world with the aim of treating different forms of cancer.

Radium-223 TherapyRadium-223, or Xofigo therapy, is used in men whose prostate cancer has spread to the bones to treat symptoms such as severe pain. Radium-223 isRead More

Lutetium Octreotate TherapyLutetium-177 Octreotate Therapy is used as a treatment for people with tumours that emerge from the endocrine or nervous system; these are called neuroendocrine tumoursRead More

Yttrium 90 SIRT TherapyYttrium-90 SIRT Therapy, or Selective Internal Radiation Therapy, is a treatment for cancers and tumours that are located within the liver. The aim of thisRead More

Lutetium PSMA TherapyLutetium-177 PSMA Therapy, or Lutetium-177 Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen Therapy is a treatment for men with advanced prostate cancer. It is to be used predominantly whenRead More